Bologna





Raised below the Mason-Dixon line? Then you likely had a fried bologna sandwich with some mayo at some point in your childhood. Though a few sandwiches way back probably don’t pose a major threat, now that you’re an adult, bologna shouldn’t show up on your rolls. Registered dietitian Kaleigh McMordie, RDN, has a great take: “Meat paste. Who knows what it’s made of? No, thank you. One slice can provide 17 grams of fat, with 7 of them are saturated, and more than 800 mg of sodium, and many have added sugar, starches, and nitrates,” she says.

Bologna





Raised below the Mason-Dixon line? Then you likely had a fried bologna sandwich with some mayo at some point in your childhood. Though a few sandwiches way back probably don’t pose a major threat, now that you’re an adult, bologna shouldn’t show up on your rolls. Registered dietitian Kaleigh McMordie, RDN, has a great take: “Meat paste. Who knows what it’s made of? No, thank you. One slice can provide 17 grams of fat, with 7 of them are saturated, and more than 800 mg of sodium, and many have added sugar, starches, and nitrates,” she says.

Energy drinks




You may have quickly chugged a Red Bull (or two) to get a night started at one time or another. Nutritionist and dietician Keith Ayoob says these popular grab-by drinks are quite, well, terrible for you. “These have just lots of caffeine and stimulants. That’s not energy—it’s speed. For real energy you need sleep, and there’s no substitute for that. You may also need a good breakfast, too,” he explains.

Energy drinks




You may have quickly chugged a Red Bull (or two) to get a night started at one time or another. Nutritionist and dietician Keith Ayoob says these popular grab-by drinks are quite, well, terrible for you. “These have just lots of caffeine and stimulants. That’s not energy—it’s speed. For real energy you need sleep, and there’s no substitute for that. You may also need a good breakfast, too,” he explains.

Pre-packaged sushi

As pretty as they look in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, Dr. Ayoob says pre-packaged sushi is a questionable lunch or dinner selection. Not only did he personally have a bad experience with it once, but there are many factors you don’t know about that spicy tuna or California roll. Like, how long it’s been sitting there. Or how fresh the fish it. Or, if it’s even real fish to begin with. If you’re craving a roll, the best thing to do is seek a restaurant with a strong health grade rating. Here’s how to eat more vegetables without even trying

Table salt

Though a staple of nearly every household, Lynn Anderson, a nutritionist, yoga instructor and health advocate says table salt isn’t the best spice selection for your diet. “Originally produced from mined salt, it starts out as a real food then quickly becomes something else. Manufacturers strip it of all its naturally-occurring minerals and then use a number of additives to dry it and heat it to temperatures of about 1,200 degrees. The salt is then stabilized with dextrose, turning it purple and then bleached white,” she explains. If you can’t kick your craving for a salty taste, Anderson says to reach for Celtic or Himalayan salt instead.

Though a staple of nearly every household, Lynn Anderson, a nutritionist, yoga instructor and health advocate says table salt isn’t the best spice selection for your diet. “Originally produced from mined salt, it starts out as a real food then quickly becomes something else. Manufacturers strip it of all its naturally-occurring minerals and then use a number of additives to dry it and heat it to temperatures of about 1,200 degrees. The salt is then stabilized with dextrose, turning it purple and then bleached white,” she explains. If you can’t kick your craving for a salty taste, Anderson says to reach for Celtic or Himalayan salt instead.

Soy protein





Found in many products—including some of your favorites, unbeknownst to you—soy protein can be a dangerous ingredient to consume in quantity, especially for women who are sensitive to hormones. “Contrary to what we are led to believe, unfermented soy protein is not that healthy,” warns Anderson. “In the United States, soy is modified to withstand the application of glyphosate, a weed killer ingredient. Basically we are then eating weed killer with our soy! Long-term use of soy dietary supplements like soy protein is unsafe because it has been linked to disease ranging from hay fever to kidney failure.” These superfoods can actually help you lose weight.

Non-organic strawberries




Standing in the produce section of your market, trying to figure out why that extra $3.00 is needed for an ‘organic’ piece of fruit? Let health coach Michelle Gindi convince you to shell out the extra bucks: “Non-organic strawberries topped this year’s list for the most pesticide laden produce, and the dinosaur-sized strawberries that we see in grocery stores are nothing close to what nature intended.”

Non-organic strawberries



Standing in the produce section of your market, trying to figure out why that extra $3.00 is needed for an ‘organic’ piece of fruit? Let health coach Michelle Gindi convince you to shell out the extra bucks: “Non-organic strawberries topped this year’s list for the most pesticide laden produce, and the dinosaur-sized strawberries that we see in grocery stores are nothing close to what nature intended.”

Canned soup





Thanks to slow cookers—or that giant stockpot on your stovetop—making soup is as easy as it gets, even for ameatur chefs. And that’s a good thing—considering how bad canned soups are for you. “Most canned soups are notorious for containing excessive amounts of sodium. Too much sodium can put you at risk for health conditions such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease, explains nutritionist Tracy Lesht MS, RD.

Flavored coffee creamers

If you can’t drink your coffee black, you’re better off adding coconut oil, unsweetened almond milk, honey—or just about anything but a coffee creamer with artificial flavorings. Lesht says, “Most coffee creamers are packed with sugar and artificial flavors offering little nutritional value for plenty of calories!” This is the worst diet advice nutritionists have ever heard.

41 Signs Your Kidneys Are in Big Trouble

41 Signs Your Kidneys Are in Big Trouble



Denise Mann, MS




More than 26 million Americans suffer from kidney disease—from kidney stones to infections to cancer. Learn the signs that your kidneys are in big trouble with this expert-approved guide.




What do your kidneys really do, anyway?



Monet_3k/Shutterstock

Most people don’t think much about their kidneys until something is really wrong. Considering they’re you’re built-in detox machines, you might want to pay closer attention to these fist-sized, bean-shaped organs. Sometimes referred to as the body’s “master chemists,” your kidneys sit just below your rib cage, one on each side of your spine. They filter your blood to remove any waste and excess fluids, producing urine. They also ensure that you have the right amount of minerals, like potassium and sodium, in your blood; another key kidney job is producing hormones that help control your blood pressure.

How do you know if something is wrong?



“Most kidney disease is completely invisible, and people only find out about it after a routine test that measures kidney function. By this time, there is pretty significant disease,” cautions Joel Topf, MD, a nephrologist at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine in Royal Oak, MI, and a spokesperson for the American Society of Nephrology.

The kidney test

According to Anil Agarwal, MD, director of interventional nephrology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, the best ways to diagnose kidney disease are through urine and blood screening tests. The urine test looks for blood proteins (which shouldn’t be in urine), bacteria, and minerals that can form kidney stones. A blood test can detect a waste product from your muscles called creatinine; unhealthy kidneys have trouble filtering out creatinine. Creatinine is normally removed from your blood by your kidneys, but when kidney function slows, creatinine levels rise. “Urine and blood analysis are a good idea, and sometimes kidney ultrasound can provide more clues,” says Dr. Agarwal.

Sign: You are overwhelmed by sudden and severe pain

Each year, more than half a million people go to emergency rooms for kidney stones, according to the National Kidney Foundation. If you have high levels of certain minerals in your urine, kidney stones (hard, pebble-like pieces of material) can form in one or both of your kidneys. “Pain associated with kidney stones often comes on suddenly and is sometimes described as [as] excruciating as the pain associated with labor,” says Douglas Propp, MD, Medical Director and Chair of Emergency Medicine at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. Dr. Propp says most patients pass their kidney stones on their own, though doctors sometimes prescribe medication to either manage the pain or help the stone pass. Some stones may even require surgery. Learn how long it takes to pass a kidney stone.

Blood in your urine

Another possible warning sign of kidney disease is blood in your urine. This can be a marker of kidney stones, kidney infection, and other kidney diseases. “The early signs of kidney disease tend to be vague but looking at your urine can give you important clues,” says Dr. Agarwal. “Any blood in your urine or change in the color that may indicate blood—as well as foamy urine (which suggests that there is protein)—means it is time to get things checked,”

Your constant urge to pee

Because your kidneys produce urine, frequent—or very infrequent—trips to the bathroom can both be signs of kidney disease. For some people, kidney disease results in false urges to pee, while others will report a greater amount of urination that may even wake them up at night

Pain when peeing
Because a kidney infection is a type of urinary tract infection, you’ll have inflammation all the way down your urethra. The bacteria don’t just invade the lining of your bladder and kidneys, explains Charles Modlin, MD, MBA, a urologist with Cleveland Clinic. They also can infiltrate the tissue and nerve endings of your urinary tract, activating pain receptors in the area. And when nature calls—ouch

Pain when peeing
Because a kidney infection is a type of urinary tract infection, you’ll have inflammation all the way down your urethra. The bacteria don’t just invade the lining of your bladder and kidneys, explains Charles Modlin, MD, MBA, a urologist with Cleveland Clinic. They also can infiltrate the tissue and nerve endings of your urinary tract, activating pain receptors in the area. And when nature calls—ouch